Food products and method of making same



Patented Oct. 31, 1950 FOOD PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME K LouisLa Vine, Los Angeies, Calif.

No Drawing. Application December 17, 1948, Serial No. 65,976

14 Claims. R

My invention relates to food products and method of making same,particularly frozen foods coated or impregnated with a solution ofcalcium polysulfide or the products derived therefrom upon dilutionthereof, and its objects are to preserve food by freezing and to affordprotection of such food from putrefaction, decomposition and decay notonly while frozen but also for a substantial period after thawing ordefrosting has taken place; to utilize in such form of frozenpreservation a form of sulfur solution which, while aiding suchpreservation, is without harmful effects upon consumers of the food sopreserved, and to dispense with the use of the fumes of burning sulfuror sulfurous acid or other pernicious forms of sulfur used aspreservatives; to destroy or render ineffective in such food bacteria orspores thereof which tend to produce deterioration and decay, andgenerally to bring about a form of food preservation which is of longerduration and more effective than has heretofore been accomplished. Otheradvantages and objects of my invention will appear as hereinafter setforth.

The present application is a continuation in part of my earliercopending abandoned application Serial No. 586,448, filed April 3, 1945,and entitled Food Products and Method of Making Same, and I reserve suchearlier date for all common subject matter set forth in saidapplications, and claimed herein.

In the preservation of food by refrigeration or through the use ofchemicals, the main object is to avoid decomposition caused bydevelopment within the food of living organisms, coming from the air,the soil or from animal sources. The problem is that of keeping away,killing off or rendering ineffective such organisms so that the food mayremain fit for human consumption. For this purpose, refrigeration isgenerally used, but it is recognized that while freezing temperaturestend to destroy some of the organisms, most bacteria and spores thereofpresent in the food remain dormant, and will become active again atnormal atmospheric temperatures. Chemicals are also used as foodpreservatives such as vapors of formaldehyde, salicylic and benzoicacids, sulfurous acid and sulphites; but it has been found that all ofthese substances possess injurious physiological properties. In my im- Pproved process, however, I have succeeded in combining the advantages ofquick freezing and proper refrigeration with the preservative andcurative value of sulfur without any deleterious consequences resultingtherefrom. I have discovered that while refrigeration is generallysatisfactory as a preservative for food so long as freezing temperaturesare maintained, nevertheless after frozen food is once thawed out andexposed to the air, decomposition tends to set in much more rapidly thanis the case when it is in its original sound and eatable condition. Insuch case I have found thatwheresuch food is, prior to freezing, coatedor impregnated with a solution of calcium polysulfide or the productsformed from calcium polysulfide on dilution, including calciumhydrosulfide and colloidal sulfur, decomposition after thawing isgreatly delayed or in large part avoided, without diminishing the valueof such food.

Ordinary commercial sulfur has been found unsatisfactory for thepreservation of food. .As now used for preventing the discoloration offruits and bacteriological changes therein, it is common practice in thecommercial drying of such fruits to expose the same to the fumes ofburning sulfur, forming sulfur dioxide, and a thin layer of sulfurousacid is allowed to form upon the moist surfaces of the fruit.

It is recognized that to obtain maximum preservative action from sulfurdioxide, it is necessary to have both rapid and thorough penetrationthereof into the tissues of the fruit. Nevertheless, since sulfurdioxide remaining in the fruit in appreciable quantities is harmful tothe human system when eaten, it must be removed therefrom, or reduced toa very low concentration before the fruit is consumed.

In the exercise of my invention, however, I disregard the use of sulfurdioxide, and preferably employ instead a five per cent solution ofcalcium polysulfide, diluted in water in the proportion of one part ofsuch solution to fifteen hundred parts of water; which solution ispreferably prepared by mixing one part by weight of solid calciumsulfide with two parts by weight of powdered sulfur in enough water toform a heavy milky suspension, and then boiling the mixture until nofurther evidence of solution is observed. The excess sulfur remainingmay thereupon be removed by filtration while hot, and the resultingconcentrate adjusted to the desired five per cent concentration by theaddition of water. Concentration, however, other than such five per centand dilution ratios other than one to fifteen hundred may be used, ashereinafter set forth When diluted the calcium polysulfide liberatescolloidal sulfur and forms calcium hydrosulfide. The addition of thissulphur solution diluted as aforesaid to the frozen food not only actsas a preservative, but also adds an important mineral element thatgreatly improves the nutritional and therapeutic value of the food. Thatis, the calcium polysulfide so used, acts not only as an antiseptic orgermicide preventing decay, but also incorporates within the food itselfan element which is beneficial in the nutrition and growth of the humanbody itself; this form of sulfur being ofvalue in regulating nerveimpulses, in promoting secretions, and in producing natural oxidationand combustion, and being used by all the organsof the human body.

In recent years one method of refrigeration known as the quick freezingprocess" has come into common use by food distributors as a method foundto be very effective in retaining the natural flavors of food while atthe same time avoiding discoloration thereof and arresting decompositionand decay. This process has been found to be particularly satisfactoryin the case of fruits and vegetables, although it may be applied toalmost any kind of food with good results. As now generally carried onin respect to fruits and vegetables, they are first weighed and washed;and upon thorough inspection, separated into desired sizes, gradedaccording to size and color, and the decayed, ill-formed, discolored andotherwise undesirable individual fruits or vegetables culled out.Sometimes salt is now or later added, as in the case of lima beans,string beans, peas, lentils or other food. Then the remaining fruits orvegetables are quickly steamed or blanched in the attempt to destroy theenzymes which are claimed by some authorities to be the cause of decay,and also for the purpose of holding color and partially cooking thefood. Thereupon the entire mass is salted if desired, packaged andquickly frozen. With berries and similar fruit, salt is not ordinarilyused. Sometimes hot lye dip is used for removing the skins from thefruit, especially with peaches or apricots; and with tomatoes, 2. hotwater dip may be employed for removing the skins; the purpose being torender such food immediately available for human consumption upon beingdefrosted. With green leafy vegetables, leaves which do not come up tostandard are culled out; and such vegetables may also be blanched topreserve color and prevent decay-after which they are sized off andquickly frozen. The disadvantage with all of these freezing processes,with the possible exception of the objectionable use of the fumes ofburning sulfur for fruit, is that immediately upon becoming defrostedand exposed to the air, the food becomes oxidized, and if such exposureis continued the food will suffer discoloration, become decayed, anddecomposition is likely quickly to set in.

With the exception of the use of calcium polysulfide and other stepshereinafter set forth, my improved process follows in large part thequick freezing process above set forth. As in the prior process, Ipreferably first weigh, wash, sort and cull any fruit or vegetables tobe subjected thereto, but such steps if desired may be taken later aftersulphur treatment. Then I carefully dip such fruits or vegetables into aliquid composition obtained by diluting my aforesaid five per centsolution of calcium polysulfide in water in the proportion of one partof said solution to fifteen hundred parts of water by weight. Suchproportions could be varied, however, according to the particular fruit,vegetables or other food treated, so as to employ a one to ten per centsolution of calcium polysulflde dissolved in water in the pro portion ofone part of such solution to one thousand to two thousand parts ofwater; the temperature of the water being preferably from 50 to 72degrees Fahrenheit. The fruits or vegetables, prepared as aforesaid, areimmersed in this composition from fifteen to thirty minutes, or longenough to remove any bacteria or mold from the exterior surface of saidfruits and vegetables, to thoroughly coat, and in some cases toimpregnate, the same. This dipping may take place in the field or in aprocessing plant. After this, if not already attended to, the separationof culls and the grading of the stock may be done. Thereupon, ifsteaming, cooking or blanching is desired, such steps can beaccomplished. Then, these matters having been taken care of, the fruitsand vegetables so treated are preferably dipped again a second time andkept from five to twenty minutes in a composition of calcium polysulfideof approximately twice the strength of the diluted composition abovereferred to, until such stock is somewhat impregnated or saturated withsuch stronger composition. Now, if desired, salt or other seasoning maybe added. Then, the mass is packaged, and quickly frozen. following thefinal step of the prior process.

When my improved process is used for preserving fish, fowl or meat, thesame steps as above set forth for fruit or vegetables may be used.Freezing may be dispensed with in the case of smoked food, it beingnecessary, however, in such situation to use a more concentratedsolution of the calcium polysulfide for both the first and seconddippings, preferably two to three times as strong a solution in order toobtain the best results.

By the words calcium polysulfide" as used in the claims, I desire to beunderstood as restricting the meaning thereof to a composition of suchcharacter that when diluted liberates colloidal sulphur and formscalcium hydrosulphide, a sulphur solution that is capable of acting as aI preservative for foods when coating or impregnating the same; all ofwhich is Without harmful effects to the consumer of the food sopreserved, and which incorporates within the food itself elements thatimprove the nutritional and therapeutic value thereof and are beneficialto the health of said consumer.

My invention may be carried out in other ways or embodied in other formswithout departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof,the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within themeaning and range of equivalency in the claims are therefore intended tobe embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of preserving food, consisting in coating the food with asolution of calcium polysulflde, and then refrigerating the same.

2. A method of preserving food, consisting in impregnating the food witha solution of calcium polysulfide, and then freezing the same.

3. A method of preserving food, consisting in coating and impregnatingthe food with a solution of calcium polysulflde, and then freezing thesame.

4. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the food tosaturation in water having dissolved therein a solution of calciumpolysulfide, and then freezing the same.

5. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the same forapproximately from fifteen to twenty minutes in water containing a.solution of calcium polysulfide, and then freezing the food so treated.

6. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the same fromfifteen to twenty minutes in water diluted with a five per cent solutionof calcium polysulflde, and thereafter freezing the food so treated.

'7. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the same fromfifteen to twenty minutes at a temperature from fifty to seventy degreesFahrenheit in water diluted with a five per cent solution of calciumpolysulfide, and thereafter freezing the food so treated.

8. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the same in waterhaving dissolved therein a solution of calcium polysulfide, then cookingthe food so treated, and again soaking the same in water havingdissolved therein a similar solution of polysulfide but of greaterstrength than the first solution, and thereafter quickly freezing saidfood.

9. A method of preserving food, consisting in soaking the food in asolution of calcium polysulfide and thereafter smoking the same.

10. A method of preserving food, consisting in 25 Number soaking thefood in a solution of calcium polysulflde, then smoking the food sotreated and thereafter quickly freezing the food.

11. A food product comprising frozen food treated with a solution ofcalcium polysulfide.

12. A food product comprising frozen food treated with a solution ofcalcium polysulfide, containing the products formed therefrom ondilution, including calcium hydrosulfide and colloidal sulfur.

13. A food product comprising frozen food treated with a five per centsolution of calcium polysulfide.

14. A food product comprising frozen food containing the products formedby treating the same with a diluted five per cent solution of calciumpolysulflde.

LOUIS LA VINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 2,419,877 Birdseye Apr. 29, 1947

1. A METHOD OF PRESERVING FOOD, CONSISTING IN COATING THE FOOD WITH ASOLUTION OF CALCIUM POLYSULFIDE, AND THEN REFRIGERATING THE SAME.